TWO classic cars which were lovingly cared for by a Barnard Castle man are to turn heads when they go under the hammer – with one predicted to sell for up £20,000.
The 1929 Daimler 20/70 Type M Saloon and the 1950 Jowett Javelin both have key positions in the British motor industry’s hall of fame and a great deal of interest is expected in the vehicles at Thomas Watson’s Fine Art Sale on Tuesday, August 21, in Darlington.
The two cars come from the estate of the late Harry Clark, a classic car enthusiast from Barnard Castle, and are complete with their handbooks and current V5C registration forms.
Daimler has long been associated with engineering excellence and its traditional characteristics have long endeared it to the nobility. The company was awarded a Royal Warrant to provide cars to the British Monarch in 1902 – a privilege that was retained until the 1950s.
The 20/70 model was part of a new range of long-stroke, sleeve-valve sixes launched in 1926, their combination of steel sleeves and light-alloy pistons making for appreciably livelier performance.
The car was extremely well received and the 20/70 was the royal car to King George V in the year of its launch. It remained in production until 1930 and could be purchased for less than £1,000.
The Daimler presented at the Thomas Watson auction carries a price estimate of £15,000 to £20,000. It was bought by Mr Clark in 1978 from William Cameron Bell, of Penrith, in Cumbria.
Little is known of its early history but in 2011 Mr Clark took the car to local specialist, The Classic Car Workshop ltd, where in the next three years, a cosmetic restoration and work to the engine and electrics was carried out.
This included stripping and repainting the bodywork in black and royal blue, and fitting new tyres and a new fabric roof.
It is supplied with a recent history file containing invoices and photographs of the restoration.
“This lovely car is a very good example of the Daimler 20/70 Type M Saloon and would grace any small or large classic car collection,” said David Elstob, director and auctioneer at Thomas Watson. “It certainly lives up to the high expectations of style and comfort for which the brand is known and has a dignity and stateliness that sets it apart from other makes.”
When the Bradford-based car manufacturer Jowett launched the Javelin in 1947 it caused a sensation in the motoring world.
Its design features rivalled the most advanced cars in Europe. Reaching a top speed of around 80mph, it won international rallies and became the best-performing 1.5-litre saloon of its day. Just over 23,000 cars were produced during its six-year period of manufacture between 1947 and 1953.
The Jowett Javelin included in next month’s Thomas Watson sale is a 1950 saloon carrying a price guide of £4,000 to £8,000. The car was purchased by Mr Clark in 2011.
